Tag: wrestling

BREAKING: Top Japanese Wrestler Released By WWE (Updated)

This is another of those rare exceptions to the rule of this site not really covering WWE, AEW or non-Japan promotions because it does involve Japanese wrestlers-yesterday was the annual day WWE fans secretly dread after WrestleMania-where lots of wrestlers get cut/released by the promotion. One Japanese name was among them…Kairi Sane, fka Kairi Hojo and KAIRI, was cut by WWE. No specific reason given but one could think it’s to make room for new developmental talents and call-ups from NXT, EVOLVE and the new LFG show (and cut costs although owner TKO has absolutely no shortage of money in part because they also own top MMA promotion UFC). The surprise is because Kairi was in a current TV program with fellow Japanese wrestlers Asuka (Kana) and Iyo Sky (Io Shirai).

So what does this mean for Kairi? My first thought was she may come back to Japan and possibly follow her old boss, the poker-faced grandpa pervert Rossy Ogawa-to Marigold, who could use a big boost because the Japanese wrestling media is reporting Marigold is imminently losing top star Utami Hayashishita (I believe it’s an expiring contract). Of course Stardom, her former home promotion, is another possibility but she could also go the route of ex-WWE release Sareee and be a freelancer while occasionally doing her own events. It also may depend on if Kairi has a no-compete clause, although that usually doesn’t necessarily apply outside of the US. IF there is such a clause, typically it’s between 30-60 days, worst-case is 90 days. AEW also can’t be ruled out as they have some notable Japanese names in Hikaru Shida & Mina Shirakawa. Japanese news website Puroresu Today reports, based on a translation, that fans have already started a social media campaign to get WWE to bring Kairi back for what would be a 3rd time (she was in WWE from 2017-2021, released and returned in 2023), given she was just on Monday night’s “Raw” program.

More as it becomes available.

UPDATE: Also among the cuts was Apollo Crews. If you’ve been following Dragon Gate since the late 2000s-early 2010s you may remember him from bis time in the promotion as Uhaa Nation in both Japan and the US.

All-Japan 4/25/2026 Results

All-Japan continued the Champions Carnival 2026 today in Saitama.

Today’s event was held at Kasukabe Fureai Cube in Saitama and can be watched on demand on AJPW.TV. There was no live broadcast but the on demand version was put up earlier than expected.

The announced paid attendance was 453, a legit sellout.

Match 1: MUSASHI, Ryo Inoue & Seiki Yoshioka beat Atsuki Aoyagi, Rising Hayato & Shota Kofuji. Inoue pinned Kofuji after a buzzsaw kick.

Champions Carnival:
Match 2: Block B: Hideki Suzuki vs. Yuma Aoyagi went to a double pinfall. Draw. 1 point for each.
Match 3: Block A: Kengo Mashimo beat Odyssey by submission.
Match 4: Block B: Madoka Kikuta (Dragon Gate) beat Daisuke Sekimoto.

Match 5: Seigo Tachibana, Shotaro Ashino, Hokuto Onori & Hyo Ogawa (Independent/Freelancer) beat Dan Tamura, Ren Ayabe, Go Shiozaki & Yuma Anzai. Tachibana beat Tamura with a crossface.

Champions Carnival:
Match 6: Block A: Rei Saito beat Talos.
Match 7: Block B: Ryuki Honda beat Xyon.
Main Event: Block A: Kento Miyahara beat Kumaarashi.

Standings:
Block A:
1-Rei Saito, 3-1, 6 pts
2-Miyahara, 2-1-1, 5 pts
3-Mashimo, 2-1, 4 pts
4-Odyssey, 2-2, 4 pts
5-Shiozaki, 2-2, 5 pts
6-Anzai, 1-1-1, 3 pts
7-Talos, 1-2, 2 pts
8-Kumaarashi, 0-3, 0 pts

Block B:
1-Suzuki, 3-2-1, 7 pts
2-Kikuta, 3-0-1 NP (No Points), 6 pts
3-Sekimoto, 3-1, 6 pts
4-Honda, 3-1, 6 pts
5-Ayabe, 2-1, 4 pts
6-Yuma Aoyagi, 2-2-1 NP, 4 pts
7-Xyon, 1-2-1, 3 pts
8-Jun Saito, 0-7, 0 pts (OUT-injured)

The top 2 in each block advance to the Semifinals. It’s still too early to predict Block A except Kumaarashi is all but out. In Block B, Suzuki is in a tough spot as the leader-in part because of the Jun Saito forfeits he has only one match left while everyone else has 2 or 3 remaining. The no points outcome really hurts Yuma Aoyagi’s chances with 2 matches left. It could also hurt Kikuta in a tie for second. If needed, tiebreakers wiill be head-to-head result. If that was a draw OR there are more than 2 tied for one of the advancing spots, a 3-way match (or more) will be held at the end.

The next event is tomorrow (tonight US time) at Sanjo City Welfare Hall in Niigata. There will be no live broadcast. On demand scheduled for 6 PM PT/9 PM ET but could be earlier.

New Japan 4/25/2026 Results (Updated)

WRESTLING REDZONE in HIROSHIMA, New Japan’s now-annual late-April mid-major Hiroshima event, was held earlier today.

Today’s event was held at Hiroshima Sun Plaza in Hiroshima and can be watched on demand on New Japan World. You can also watch the first 2 matches FOR FREE on YouTube.

The announced paid attendance was 2053.

Pre-show match: Tatsuya Matsumoto beat Taisei Nakahara by submission.

Match 1: Master Wato, Toru Yano, Yoh & Shota Umino beat Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens. Yano pinned Takahashi.

Match 2: Francesco Akira, Great-O-Khan & HENARE beat Masatora Yasuda, Ryusuke Taguchi & Taichi. Akira beat Yasuda with a ground tarantula.

Match 3: Togi Makabe, Tiger Mask, Aaron Wolf & Boltin Oleg vs. Dick Togo, Don Fale, DOUKI & Ren Narita went to a no contest. Out of control. Afterwards, DOUKI removed TM 4’s mask and, in response, TM 4 demanded their upcoming IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship match be changed to a Lumberjack match.

Match 4: Hartley Jackson & Ryohei Oiwa beat Tomoaki Honma & Yuya Uemura. Jackson pinned Honma after Death Valley Bomb.

Match 5: Zane Jay, Jacob Austin Young, Jake Lee & Callum Newman beat Daiki Nagai, Gedo, Yota Tsuji & Shingo Takagi. Young pinned Nagai after Bite The Dust.

Match 6: Kosei Fujita & Robbie Eagles beat IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Taiji Ishimori & Robbie X to win the titles. Fujita & Eagles become the 82nd IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions. Eagles beat Ishimori with Ron Miller Special.

Main Event: IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions OSKAR (The Grouch) & Yuto Ice (Ice Baby) beat YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto to retain the titles. OSKAR pinned YOSHI-HASHI after KOB. V6 for the champs.

The Road To WRESTLING DONTAKU 2026 Tour resumes tomorrow at KDDI Ishin Hall in Yamaguchi. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET. After tomorrow the rest of the tour is non-televised except for Wednesday for the annual “Wrestling Hizen Province” event in Saga.

UPDATE: It’s now official. TM 4 vs. DOUKI on Wednesday for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship is now a Lumberjack match.

Injury Report: The Queens Will Not Get The King They Want (Updated)

Kaisei Takechi has helped bring a lot of female fans into DDT in the 2 years he’s been active as a pro wrestler, or more specifically a “hybrid performer” much like fellow wrestler/stage performer O-MENZ Kumadori. So when injuries hit that really puts a damper on things, and unfortunately for Takechi-and the ladies-it’s happened again at a very bad time. Acute appendicitis. Out at least a month and that means, as a result, Takechi is out of the 2026 KING OF DDT Tournament. Replacement TBA.

More as it becomes available.

UPDATE: Kazuki Hirata is the replacement.

DEVELOPING: Former New Japan Star To WWE? (Updated 4/28/2026)

Following up on a major New Japan story post-Tokyo Dome, there are now UNCONFIRMED reports on US wrestling news/rumor sites that EVIL has signed with WWE. He also reportedly will not be EVIL because WWE likes to have control of wrestler names for money-making purposes which probably means he also won’t be his real name, Takaaki Watanabe. There are also rumors that, despite being 39 and very experienced (15 years in Japan and an excursion to Ring Of Honor), he wants to start in the NXT developmental brand. There are also unconfirmed reports in this article that, outside the ring, EVIL is attached to WWE wrestler Iyo Sky (fka Io Shirai), which would be news to me as last I heard she was at least linked to NOSAWA Rongai.

Anyway, this all is not official yet so we’ll see what happens and if WWE does become EVIL…*pause for mouthing and delayed bad dubbing…* INDEEEEEEEEED! (Where have you gone, Funaki!)

4/28/2026 UPDATE: It’s now official. He showed up in NXT tonight.

Pro Wrestling NOAH 4/24/2026 Results

Pro Wrestling NOAH ran their monthly Legacy Rise 2036 Tour event today in Tokyo.

Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE. In Japanese & English.

The announced paid attendance was 1021.

Match 1: Manabu Soya, Eita, Super Crazy & Daiki Odashima beat Atsushi Kotoge, Mohammed Yone, Hajime Ohara & Katsumi Inahata. Soya pinned Ohara after Ballistic.

Match 2: Kid Lycos 1 & 2 & Hiroto Tsuruya beat Tetsuya Endo, HAYATA & Yuto Koyanagi. 1 pinned Koyanagi after a swanton bomb.

Match 3: Knull beat Midori Takahashi. Squash (81 seconds).

Match 4: Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows beat Kaito Kiyomiya & Harutoki. Anderson pinned Harutoki after Magic Killer.

Match 5: Naomichi Marufuji & Kenoh beat Masa Kitamiya & Alpha Wolf. Marufuji pinned Wolf with a perfect neck hold.

Match 6: OZAWA, Takashi Sugiura & Jun Masaoka beat Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI & RYUSEI by DQ. BUSHI DQ’d. Mist attack.

Match 7: GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Dragon Bane & Alejandro beat Tadasuke & Kai Fujimura to retain the titles. Alejandro pinned Tadasuke. V2 for the champs.

Main Event: KENTA & Shane Haste beat Yoshiki Inamura & AMAKUSA. Haste pinned Inamura after Bomb valley Death.

The next event is tomorrow at Yamagata Big Wing in Yamagata. There will be no live broadcast. On demand Monday.

Dragon Gate 4/24/2026 Results

Dragon Gate continued The Gate Of Passion 2026 Tour today with a home event in Kobe.

Today’s event was held at Kobe Sambo Hall in Kobe and can be watched on demand on DRAGONGATE NETWORK. You can also watch the first match FOR FREE on YouTube.

The paid attendance has not yet been announced.

Match 1: Genki Horiguchi & Yasushi Kanda beat Naruki Doi (Independent/Freelancer) & Dragon Kid. Horiguchi pinned Doi with Backslide From Heaven.

Match 2: ISHIN beat Jiro Shinbashi.

Match 3: Takashi won a 13 man battle royal, last eliminating @KEY. Also of note-Ryu Fuda returned in this match from injury.

Match 4: Hyo, JACKY KAMEI & Riiita beat YAMATO, Susumu Yokosuka & KAGETORA. KAMEI pinned KAGETORA after JACKY Knife.

Match 5: Yuki Yoshioka & Ryoya Tanaka beat Strong Machine J & Kzy. Tanaka pinned J after Cross Saber.

Main Event: Shun Skywalker, Homare & El Cielo beat Kota Minoura, Jason Lee & Yuki Yoshioka. Cielo pinned Kato after a spinning tombstone piledriver.

The next event is tomorrow at Shimizu Marine Building in Shizuoka. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.

New Japan 4/24/2026 Results

New Japan continued the Road To WRESTLING DONTAKU 2026 Tour today in Ehime with a Yuya Uemura hometown event.

Today’s event was held at Tex Port Imabari in Ehime and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 738, a full house/near sellout.

Match 1: Masatora Yasuda, Ryusuke Taguchi & Taichi beat Taisei Nakahara, Togi Makabe & Togi Makabe. Yasuda pinned Nakahara.

Match 2: Jacob Austin Young, Great-O-Khan & HENARE beat Tatsuya Matsunoto, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto. Young pinned Matsumoto after Imperial Prison.

Match 3: Master Wato, Yoh, Toru Yano, Tiger Mask & Shota Umino. vs. Dick Togo, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, DOUKI & Chase Owens went to a double countout. TM 4 & DOUKI counted out.

Match 4: Hartley Jackson, Ryohei Oiwa, Kosei Fujita & Robbie Eagles beat Gedo, Yota Tsuji, Robbie X & Taiji Ishimori. Jackson pinned Gedo after a senton.

Match 5: Daiki Nagai, OSKAR (The Grouch), Yuto Ice (Ice Baby) & Shingo Takagi beat Zane Jay, Francesco Akira, Jake Lee & Callum Newman. Ice pinned Jay after The Rumbling.

Main Event: Aaron Wolf, Boltin Oleg & Yuya Uemura beat Yujiro Takahashi, Don Fale & Ren Narita. Uemura pinned Takahashi after Lions Shiner. Afterwards, Uemura did the hometown win promo to send the crowd home happy.

The next event is WRESTLING REDZONE in HIROSHIMA, the now-annual late April semi-major regional event, tomorrow at Hiroshima Sun Plaza in Hiroshima with two tag team title matches. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET.

Tokyo Joshi Pro 4/24/2026 Results

After a long & successful trip back to North America and with almost everyone back Tokyo Joshi Pro resumed the spring house show tour today in Tokyo. A few wrestlers (Miyu Yamashita, Shoko Nakajima, Hyper Misao & Yuki Aino) missed this event due to continuing to Europe for more post-US events.

Today’s event was held at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE.

The announced paid attendance was 312, a full house/near sellout.

Match 1: Sakura Hattori beat Kira Summer.

Match 2: Mahiro Kiryu, HIMAWARI & Shino Suzuki beat Raku, Pom Harajuku & Mifu Ashida. Kiryu pinned Ashida after a spinebuster.

Match 3: Yuki Kamifuku beat Chika Nanase.

Match 4: Mizuki & Uta Takami beat Ren Konatsu & Shion Kanzaki. Mizuki pinned Kanzaki after Southern Cross.

Match 5: Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe beat Wakana Uehara & Toga. Watanabe pinned Toga after Daydream Eternity.

Main Event: Suzume & Arisu Endo beat Yuki Arai & Haru Kazashiro. Suzume pinned Kazashiro after Ring A Bell.

The next event is Wednesday at Itabashi Green Hall for a WRESTLE UNIVERSE members-only event. Tickets are only available for WRESTLE UNIVERSE members (if you subscribe to the streaming service you are a member). There will be no live broadcast. On demand on 5/2.

All-Japan 4/23/2026 Results

All-Japan continued the Champions Carnival today in Tokyo.

Today’s event was held at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on AJPW.TV.

The announced paid attendance was 520, a legit advance sellout with standing room overflow tickets sold. The venue’s full capacity for wrestling is 500.

There were last-minute changes to the card due to Jun Saito being pulled off the event. Right eye injury. Out of the tournament as he will not be cleared by doctors until afterwards meaning he is out at least a few weeks. All remaining matches are forfeits.

Match 1: Daisuke Sekimoto beat Shota Kofuji.

Match 2: Shotaro Ashino, Kumaarashi, MUSASHI & Yuya Aoki (Independent/Freelancer) beat Yuma & Atsuki Aoyagi, Rising Hayato & Ryo Inoue. Aoki pinned Inoue after a Cassock slashing chop.

Champions Carnival Block B:
Match 3: Madoka Kimuta (Dragon Gate) vs. Xyon went to a double countout. No points.
Match 4: Hideki Suzuki beat Ryuki Honda by ref stoppage (technical submission).

Match 5: Dan Tamura, Ren Ayabe & Talos beat Seigo Tachibana, Hokuto Omori & Seiki Yoshioka. Tamura pinned Tachibana after Dunrock.

Champions Carnival Block A:
Match 6: Yuma Anzai beat Kengo Mashimo.
Match 7: Rei Saito beat Go Shiozaki.
Main Event: Kento Miyahara beat Odyssey.

Standings:
Block A:
1-Rei Saito, 2-1, 4 pts
2-Odyssey, 2-1, 4 pts
3-Shiozaki, 2-2, 4 pts
4-Miyahara, 1-0-1, 3 pts
5-Anzai, 1-1-1, 3 pts
6-Mashimo, 1-1, 2 pts
7-Talos, 1-1, 2 pts
8-Kumaarashi, 0-2, 0 pts

Block B:
1-Sekimoto, 3-0, 6 pts
2-Suzuki, 3-2, 6 pts
3-Kikuta, 2-0-1 NP (no points), 4 pts
4-Xyon, 2-1-1 NP, 4 pts
5-Ayabe, 2-1, 4 pts
6-Honda, 2-2, 4 pts
7-Yuma Aoyagi, 1-2, 2 pts
8-Jun Saito, 0-7, 0 pts (OUT-injured)

Block B totals include all forfeits for remaining Jun Saito matches.

The next event is Saturday at Kasukabe Fureai Cube in Saitama. The event is a legit advance sellout. There will be no live broadcast. On demand at 6 PM PT/9 PM ET. (No live broadcasts for the next 4 events)